Tie rack



. L. STERN www 5%? 39459 TIE RACK Filed Feb. 28 3.948

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 8, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

This invention relates to racks for supporting an array of goods such ashaberdashery, dresses and the like-more particularly, although notexclusively, to multiple wing racks for supporting and displaying tiesin separated groups.

There are various commercial forms of tieracks provided with a number ofsections for supporting ties in groups, but in most of these the tiesare either not all readily accessible, or cannot be so displayed thatthey can all be viewed simultaneously. Those that permit a simultaneousexposure of all ties are frequently limited in the number of ties theycan accommodate; and where they can support a relatively large number ofties they are generally space-consuming, inconvenient to operate andcomplex and hence costly to fabricate. It is accordingly primarilywithin the contemplation of my invention to provide a multiple-wingtie-rack capable of supporting and simultaneously displaying a largenumber of ties, and having none of the aforesaid shortcomings ofconventional structures.

More specifically, among the objectives of my invention are theprovision of a tie-rack of the above-mentioned category having aplurality of separate sections for different tie groupings, and capableof simple manual manipulation for displaying selected groups of ties orsimultaneously displaying all the ties on the rack, and for renderingthe ties readily accessible for selection or replacement.

It is another important object of my invention to provide an expansibletie-rack with the above-mentioned features, and which is economical ofspace both in its contracted and in its fully expanded condition.

A further object is to provide a device having the aforementionedadvantages, and yet which is structurally simple and capable of low-costmanufacture.

Other objects, features and advantages will appear from the drawings andthe description hereinafter given.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a front view of a tie-rack according to a preferred form ofmy invention in its fully contracted condition.

Figure 2 is a top view of Fig. 1, a fragment being broken away forclarity.

Figure 3 is a front view of the tie-rack in a partially expandedcondition.

Figure 4 is a top View of Fig. 3, with fragments broken away forclarity.

Figure 5 is a front View of the tie-rack in its fully expandedcondition, a fragment broken away for clarity, and showing fragments oftwo ties in place, and

Figure 6 is a top view 0f Fig. 5.

In the form of my invention illustrated, the tie-rack is shown attachedto a support I0, which may be either a door, a wall, or a bar providedwith the device and attachable to any suitable support. The device issecured in place by means of the spacing members I I and screws I2 orother suitable fasteners known in the art.

The tie-rack illustrated consists of three par allel wings, I3, I4 andI5 pivotally connected together, the distance between said wings beingvariable by manual manipulation, so that they can be in selected mutualspaced relation or in close juxtaposition, as will more clearlyhereinafter appear. Wing i3 is stationary and consists of the long upperhorizontal bar IB and the shorter lower horizontal bar I'I parallel tobar IG and connected thereto by vertical spacer I8, said spacer formingthe two sections I9 and 20 in wing I3. The said lower bar II hasattached thereto a plurality of preferably equally spaced tie-separatingrods ZI extending vertically upwardly therefrom. Wing I4 consists of theupper and lower parallel horizontal bars 22 and 23, respectively, bothpreferably of the same length and connected together by the verticalspacer 24 which forms the two sections 25 and 26 in wing I4, Similarly,wing I5 consists of the upper and lower parallel horizontal bars 2l and28, respectively, preferably of the same length and connected togetherby the vertical spacer 29 which forms the two sections 3l! and 3I inwing I5. The lower bars 23 and 25 in wings I4 and I5, respectively, bothcontain tie-Separating rods 2i like those of the said lower bar I'I.

The intermediate wing I4 is, as is readily apparent from the drawing,flanked by and pivotally connected to the other two wings, I3 and I5.The specific pivotal construction for the said three wings comprises, inthe embodiment illustrated, the end links 32 and 33, and theintermediate link 34. The opposite terminals of end link 32 is pivotallyattached at 35 and 3E to upper bars I6 and 22, respectively; theopposite terminals of end link 33 is pivotally attached at 31 and 38 toupper bars 22 and 21, respectively; and the opposite terminals ofintermediate link 34 is pivotally attached at 39 and i0 to upper bars I6and 21, the middle of link 34 being pivotally connected at the middlepoint 4I of the upper bar 22 of the intermediate wing I4. In thepreferred arrangement, the intermediate link 34 is twice the length oflinks 32 and `33, the latter two links.l

-being of equal length, the lengths of each of said links being measuredbetween their respective pivotal points. It is also preferred that thevertical spacers I8, 24 and 29 coactwith their respective upper bars i6,22 and 21 to support pivoting elements extending through the said links.Although various types of pivoting elements known in the art may beemployed, a preferred form is a rivet or screw type of fastenerextending through the coacting members, such as the coacting link, upperbar and spacer, or the coacting link and upper bar, as indicated at 42in Fig. 5. For best operation, the distances between the pivotal pointson the various bars are equal to each other, and the upper and lowerbars are at the same respective horizontallevels.

In operatively employing this device, it can be manually moved intovarious positions. Figures l and 2 show it in its fully contractedposition, the three wings l 3, i4 and l5 being in close juxtaposition.In ,this condition the ldevice occupies a minimum of space, the ypins orrods 2| of each wing being in substantial registry and close linearformation. When ties areV suspended over the various lower bars l l, 23and 28, between the rods 2l, only those in the front wing l5 will bevisible. With ties on the lower bars of Iall the three wings, the upperbars I6, 22 4and 27 can nevertheless be in contacting relation., sincethe spaces 43 and 44 between the lower bars Il, 23 and 28 'permit tiesto pass therethrough. For the accomplishment of this purpose, it isaccordingly necessary that the thickness of the said lower bars be lessthan that of the upper bars, :as the drawings clearly indicate.

By applying `a generally outward pull upon the forward wing l5, thedevice can be gradually eX- panded, selectively exposing differentsections or groupings of ties. For example, in the lposition shown inFigures 3 and 4, sections I9, v25, 30 and 3l are exposed to direct view.And by simply manipulating @the device manually more or less sections,or portions thereof, may be exposed to direct View.

Should it be desired to expose all the ties on all the sections todirect view, the device is lpivotally manipulated to the position shownin Figures 5 and 6. Here all the sections are arranged in longitudinalalignment-in a single row-whereby every tie on the rack will be visible.Even the ties on the slightly overlapped end sections are visible, suchas the tie 45 on the overlapped end portion of section 26 of theintermediate wing i4 (Fig. 5).

It is also `apparent that the arrangement is such that wherever the tiesare subject to direct vision, they are also readily accessible and easyto remove. This is particularly true due Ito the single line array,presenting no obstructing overlapping vertical tiers of sections, suchas is found in certain commercial structures.

The various objects above enumerated lare thus possible ofaccomplishment by an easily operable device that is also obviouslysimple in construction.

In the above description, the invention has been disclosed merely bylway of example and in preferred manner; but obviously many variationsand modiiications may be made therein 'which will still ybe comprisedwithin its spirit. It is to be understood, therefore, that the inventionis not limited to any specic form or manner of practicing same, exceptinsofar as such limitations ar specified in the appended claims.

lll

I claim:

1. A tie-rack comprising three wings pivotally interconnected, each winghaving a tie-supporting bar, the first of said wings being stationaryand the others movable, a link pivotally connected to an intermediateyportion of the stationary wing and to an end portion of the secondwing, a second link pivotally connected to another portion of thestationary wing and to an intermediate portion of said second wing andto an end portion of the third wing, and a third link pivotallyconnected to the other end portion of the second wing and to anintermediate portion of the third wing, said second and third wings'being movable between two limiting positions, one of said positionsbeing directly in front of and adjacent said stationary wing, the otherof said positions ibeing in substantial longitudinal alignment withrespect to each other and the said stationary wing.

2. A tie-rack comprising three wings pivotally interconnected, each winghaving a tie-supporting bar, each bar having attached thereto apluralityof tie-separating rods, the rst of said wings being stationary and theothers movable, a link pivotally connected to the middle portion of thestationary wing and to an end portion Iof the second wing, a second linkpivotally connected to another portion of vthe stationary 'wing `spacedaA pre-determined distance from the said middle portion and to themiddle `portion of said second wing and to an end portion of the thirdwing, and a third link pivotally connected to the other end portion ofthe second wing and to the middle {portion of the third wing, said iirstand third links being fof'equal length and said .second link beingdouble the length of said iirst and third links, the distances betweenthe pivotal points on the said wings being equal, said second and thirdwings being movable between two limiting positions, one of saidVpositions being directly in front of vand adjacent said stationarywing, the other of said positions being in substantial longitudinalalignment with respect to each other and the said stationary wing.

3. A tierack according to claim 2, each wing being further provided withan upper bar spaced above and substantially 'parallel to itstie-supporting bar, said ,links being pivotally connected to said upperbars of the wings. Y

4. A tie-rack according to claim 3, the upper bars being thicker thanthe lower tie-supporting bars, whereby spaces will be provided betweenthe tie-supporting bars when the upper bars are loper-- atively inengagement.

5. A tie-,rack according to claim 4, said mie-supporting -bars being allsubstantially at the same horizontal level.

6. A tie-rack according t0 claim 5, said upper bars being allsubstantially at the same horizontal level.

7. A tie-rack according to claim 2, each wing being further providedwith an upper bar spaced above and substantially parallel to itstie-supportingfbar. said links being pivotally connected to said upperbars of the lwings,and further provided with vertical spacers at themiddle portions of the wings, thereby forming two lateral sections ineach wing.

8. A tie-rack `according to claim 7, further provided with Ipivotal pinsextending through said links and their coasting upper bars and into theooaeting spacers.

9. A tie-rack according to claim2, each wing beingfurther provided vwithan upper bar spaced 5 above and substantially `parallel to itstie-supporting bar, said links being pivotally connected to said upperbars ef the Wings, the upper bar of the stationary wing being longerthan the other said upper bars, the second and third upper bars being ofequal length, the said tie-supporting bars being each of a length equalto that of the said second and third upper bars.

IRVING L. STERN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis partent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Waters June 5, 1883 Smith Dec.13, 1898 Andrews Sept. 1, 1914 Gafford Mar. 27, 1934 Cuthbert Sept. 24,1935 Albertl 1 Oct. 12, 1937 Pestyner June 28, 1949

